First and Foremost Look Out for Yourself, Says Finmeccanica
In the current climate of transatlantic finger-pointing Finmeccanica
knows better than most what it's like to have the other boys ganging
up against you. The Italian aerospace and defense leader has found
itself under fire for leaning too far towards the U.S.- in a reflection
of the wider political climate in Italy that is seen by many as
'not European enough.'
Attempts to forge European alliances with EADS and BAE Systems
have failed, while Finmeccanica has instead established solid
links with Lockheed Martin, Boeing and others in the United States.
Roberto Testore, Finmeccanica's CEO and managing director, has
a long list of European programs that Finmeccanica is involved
with, but above all, he says, the company is not pro-U.S. or pro-Europe,
but pro-Finmeccanica.
"(Our) strategy is based exclusively on our ambition to expand
into selected markets and compete globally. We choose our partners
solely based on criteria relating to individual products, markets,
programs and the technological know-how that they, or we, can
bring to the venture," he says.
Finmeccanica also has a reputation as a very tough negotiator
in partnership agreements. Some say it 'plays poker too hard'
and has missed opportunities as a result (such as EMAC).
Testore replies, "Finmeccanica has had to take a hard line
in negotiations to defend its technological and industrial capacities,
which in some cases are less substantial than those of its potential
partners. Our strengths have however been recognized, as the alliance
in the missiles sector testifies, and we have been granted the
prerogatives that should be given to a defense company in one
of western Europe's major powers."
